Tag: seabass

“What are you doing?” Simba whispered, “There are animals in there that need saving!”

“No. There are no animals in the closet you fool!” I said with contempt.

“YES. THERE. ARE!” Simba hissed.

I shook my head and stayed silent for a moment. How was I going to get this through his thick skull?

“There are NO animals in the closet. I’ll prove it to you.”

“You’re going to have to because I’m not leaving until they’re rescued!”

I roll my eyes, “Come with me.”

I lead Simba to the closet one careful step at a time. Fear rips through with back with every sound as the floorboards creak beneath our combined weight. Thoughts of Amelia returning to capture us is enough to make me want to get out of here as fast as we can. There is no way that I could spend another second with her; she was insane and I know that is a horrible thing to say about a little girl, but a spade is a spade.

“See? Look!” I hiss at Simba, “These are the so-called “animals” you’ve been worried about!” I gesture to the ceiling and point to the various one-piece pyjamas with various animal hoods. I still wasn’t sure how Simba made such a grievous error. Surely he knew the difference between real animals and clothing!

There are a few moments of silence before Simba speaks first, “Wait a second, so this is it? The animals that I thought were trapped in here are just pyjamas?”

“Yes.”

“How could I be so stupid?” Simba moaned.

I wanted to agree with him, that he was reckless and didn’t have his facts straight, and put us in a position of danger, but I couldn’t bring myself to scold him.

“You’re not stupid, I would have probably done the exact same thing…I…do you hear that?” I whisper. There is a faint sound coming from down the hall; it’s meowing.

November 13, 2017- We held our breath for what seemed like forever. I listened carefully for any sounds of life, and when I was sure that there were none, I spoke quietly to Simba.

“Can you get a better vantage point than this?” I asked.

“Why do I have to be the one to investigate? You’re the one who left me here remember?”

I sighed, “Fine, I’ll go. And for the record, I did not leave you here, you were captured!”

“Yeah…thanks for the reminder!” Simba snarled.

I wriggled my way out from under the bed just enough to survey the room. It was totally empty, and there was no sign of Amelia. I looked around for the closet and eventually spotted it on the opposite side of the room.

“Ok, just so that I’m 100% sure, that is the closet,” I said to Simba and pointed to the closed door.

“Yes.”

“I’m going in.”

“I’ll come with you!” Simba said cautiously. I could hear the hesitation in his voice.

“No, you’ve been through enough, I’ll do this on my own. Besides, you might need to cause a distraction in case anyone comes through the door.”

“Ok, good luck and Godspeed,” Simba said with his head bowed.

I crept across the carpet and slid into the half-open closet door. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the lack of light but when they finally did, I gasped. I needed to get a closer look just to be sure. I crawled on my belly and cased the entire closet. It was true.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I hissed and covered my face with my paws.

“The plan is, we’ll create a distraction outside of the main door. When the humans come out to investigate, you guys can sneak right in. We’ll meet you upstairs.”

“So wait one second, you’re not even going to help us?” Simba asked

The rodent looked at his friend and then glared at me, “We ARE helping, by creating the distraction!”

I glanced at Simba and could tell that he was thinking the same thing that I was, if we were going to help the other animals, it was entirely up to the two of us. We couldn’t depend on anyone else to do what we do best, which is search and rescue.

“Alright, fine! We’ll do all of the work.” Simba muttered. “Lives are hanging in the balance, and we’re out here squabbling and wasting time!”

“Ready?” I asked the rodents.

“What, now?” they said with their mouths gaping open in unison

“Yes now! When were you thinking?”

“Nevermind. Alright, let’s do this.”

Without another word from any of us, the rodents climbed the front steps of the porch and started banging on the main door. Simba and I waited behind a potted plant.

All of the sudden the door flew open and a large human came out. He looked around for where the noise had come from and his eyes finally settled on the rodents scrapping it out on the welcome mat.

“What in the world?” He said, “Babe, you gotta come see this!”

Simba and I didn’t stick around to see what happened next, we ran into the house as fast as our legs would carry us. We couldn’t risk being seen.

October 30, 2017- I stood over Simba and fanned his face with my paws in an attempt to wake him.

“Simba, wake up! Wake up! Please!” I said. A few seconds later he startled and sprang to his feet.

“Are you ok?” The rodent whispered; we all waited with bated breath to find out what his answer would be.

“Yes, I’m ok. It was just all too much, the thought of going back in there is so overwhelming. We don’t have a choice though, there are lives at stake!”

“Are you ok?” I asked the rodent’s friend.

“Not really, I think that it’s time for us to leave…I can’t stay here one second longer!” The rodent friend said and then burst into tears.

I could not imagine the horror that they must have experienced even though I saw a lot with my own eyes. I don’t know what happened after I escaped and I’m not too sure that I really want all of the details.

The rodent turned to his friend and tried to calm him down, but to no avail, he was inconsolable. Without a word, they disappeared into the bushes.

Simba and I stood there for a second utterly stunned at the events that just unfolded.

“So what’s the plan?” I said. Sometimes I can be too dogmatic, and it often gets me in trouble.

“I don’t know, I don’t know where to start. I need a few minutes to gather myself,” Simba said.

“Ok, let me know when you’re ready,” I said. I rattled a couple of options around in my head before I settled on one idea in particular. It would be risky, but at this point, it looked like our only option.

Just as Simba was about to speak, there was a rustle from the bushes, and both rodents reappeared.

October 23, 2017- The rodent and I scrambled down the stairs and back out the front door that we had left open. We hurried to the backyard to meet the recently freed captives.

“Are you ok?” I said to Simba as I embraced him in a manly way.

“Yes, it was…it was…”

“Why are you shaking?” I asked. I was very concerned with the way he was behaving and wondered what had taken place in my absence.

“I don’t want to relive it…I’ll tell you one day when I’m ready,” Simba said.

I looked at the two rodents, and the one who had just been released was also quite terrified it seemed. His eyes were as wide as saucers, and his lower lip quivered when he spoke.

“There are more,” Simba whispered.

“What?” I said.

“There are more…of us.”

I decided to be patient with him; Afterall, he had just experienced a horrible ordeal.

“What do you mean more of us?” I asked.

“He’s right! There are many more…at least four more creatures…in the closet,” the rodent said.

“Wait for a second, there are more animals in Amelia’s room?” I shuddered at the thought.

“Yes, that’s why we must go back in to rescue them!” Simba said.

I stood there with my hands on my hips and blew out a sigh, “There is NO WAY that we are going back in there. You were just given a gift of escaping the clutches of Amelia with your lives, and now you want to go back in? Are you kidding me?”

October 16, 2017- I stood there frozen for a split second before I sprang into action.

“Just do what I tell you to do!” I shouted at the rodent-type creature behind me as we raced up the stairs to Amelia’s room.

The door to Amelia’s bedroom was flung open, and there was a larger human standing in the doorway. I motioned for the rodent to hide and I did the same as we listened to the conversation that was taking place mere feet away from us.

“Amelia! What in the world were you thinking? You CANNOT and MUST NOT let stray animals or wildlife into the house! These animals could bite you or worse!”

Excellent, I thought to myself, scare the small human into letting her captives go! Why didn’t I think of that…Oh, yeah-because I can’t communicate with the humans in their language.

I watched as Simba shook his head furiously in disagreement about being friends with her. He’d naturally been subjected to another costume change and was wearing a princess’ dress and a bedazzled tiara. Of all the times to be without my phone, this was one of the worst; I was missing a tremendous opportunity to blackmail him.

“Amelia Marie, that is absolutely NOT acceptable or allowed. I’m not going to tell you this again! NO ANIMALS IN THE HOUSE!” the mother reprimanded her.

Amelia began to cry as the woman picked up Simba very carefully. She acted as if he were about to explode. She freed him from the princess’ dress and the crown and also freed the rodent’s friend from a clear cage.

“Now SHOO!” the woman commanded as she guided Simba and the rodent to the back patio door and granted them their escape.

October 2, 2017- It felt like time was moving in reverse. I seemed to be waiting outside forever. A million thoughts raced through my mind; What if we were too late and all of our efforts were for naught? What if Simba was further humiliated with more outfits and hair pieces and bows, and ribbons? What if we never got our friends back? I hurried to the front door and hid in the bushes.

I needed to stop thinking this way because it would drive me crazy and there would be no way that I could save Simba or anyone else if my mind wasn’t clear. I closed my eyes and drowned out the images of chaos and replaced them with images of peace and love.

There was a sudden click followed by a creak, and within two shakes of a lamb’s tail, I was able to enter the house.

“Good job,” I whispered to my rodent friend.

“The house is eerily quiet…I’m not sure what to think!” The rodent said. I could hear the panic in his voice, and it made me uneasy. One of us needed to be calm, and I realized at that point that it was going to be me. All of the sudden it

I could hear the panic in his voice and it made me uneasy. One of us needed to be calm and I realized at that point that it was going to be me. All of the sudden it was if the foggy veil of uncertainty was lifted from me and I was acutely aware of what I needed to do to save our friends.

“Follow me!” I commanded. The rodent and I slid behind a piece of furniture and I gave instructions.

The rodent and I slid behind a piece of furniture and I gave instructions, “It is imperative that we waste no time.” Before any more words could come out of my mouth there was a blood-curdling scream from upstairs.

September 27, 2017-The creature tugged and pulled and grunted, and finally was able to undo the zipper to the pink pyjamas.

“There, you’re free!” He said breathlessly as he tossed the hideous nightwear into the nearby bushes.

“Thank you for your assistance. We need to move quickly because if we don’t, Simba and your friend could be lost forever. The more time we take, the higher the odds of never seeing them again are.” The blood pounded in my skull and I knew that the stakes were dire and by the look on the creature’s face…he did too.

The blood pounded in my skull and I knew that the stakes were dire and by the look on the creature’s face…he did too.

“Give me instructions and I’ll do exactly as you say!” The rodent-like creature pleaded.

It was nice to finally have some respect from the people I worked with. I never got this kind of cooperation from Simba!

“See that vent on the outside of the house?” I pointed to what I was talking about.

“Yes, I see it.”

“We need to remove it because I’m betting that once we do, it’ll lead to a pipe or a hole that we can enter the house from.”

We moved quickly and I watched as the creature used his odd-looking hands to pry the vent off. Success! It worked!

I examined the hole for a moment and instantly realized that there was no way that I could fit.

“You’re going to have to go in alone, unlock the door and let me inside,” I said not breaking eye contact with him.

Sept 18, 2017- “Wait…so you were in there?” I repeated. I couldn’t believe that there were more victims! My heart sunk and I pinched the bridge of my nose as I closed my eyes.

“Yes, I escaped from the clutches of Amelia and I’m lucky to have left with my life! It was a horrible experience; the dresses, the outfits and the constant mauling…”

We stood there for a moment in silence. Neither one of us knew what to say and the silence was getting awkward.

I was the first to speak, “Your best friend is still inside? Are you sure? I didn’t think anyone was there…in fact, I KNOW that no one else was there except for me and Simba. There were no other signs of life.”

As soon as I said the last sentence, I immediately regretted it. The last thing I needed to do was scare this poor fella into thinking that his best friend had been…I won’t say it.

“No other…no other signs?” The creature stammered.

“Not that I am aware but I could be mistaken,” I backtracked. We were starting to run out of time and I knew that the more time we spent talking the less time we would have to save Simba and the long-tailed creature’s friend. We needed to spring into action but I didn’t have a clue where to start.

“What does your friend look like?” I asked.

“He’s smaller than me but kind of looks the same. People are really afraid of him..they say his ancestors caused the plague but I happen to know that’s not true!”

“A rat…your best friend is a rat,” I said. This was not good news. I knew that humans had a sore spot for rodents and they were quite afraid of them.

“Yes and he is stuck inside with Amelia and has been for the past two days. I fear that there is no way out for him. I’ve been trying to plan a rescue mission but I just can’t! I can’t because I don’t know what to do and I need help!” He burst into tears and I just stood there with my hands by my sides…what could I do at this point except come up with the mother of all plans to save Simba and the rat.

All of the sudden it hit me like a ton of bricks and I knew exactly what to do.

“Pull yourself together man! I have a plan, but first get me out of these ridiculous pyjamas.

September 4, 2017- I felt a sick sensation in the pit of my stomach. I was quite literally back at square one. I ran as fast as I could, which wasn’t fast at all given the state of me, to a nearby hedge and struggled to get out of the pink pyjamas. I twisted and writhed and rubbed my back against the branches in the hopes of freeing the zipper from my fur. It was all for naught and I was getting frustrated.

I was frustrated because of everything that had happened. I was hopeless and I’ve never felt more alone in my life. For the first time in a long time, I felt incompetent in my skills. I sat in the bushes for a long time feeling sorry for myself. Then, there was a voice!

“Excuse me…uhh…I was wondering if…if ummm…” the voice said.

I whipped around to see where the voice was coming from and was met face to face with something that looked like a large mouse…a rat even might be a better way to describe it. It had a long snout, beady black eyes, a fat body, and a long skinny tail.

“Listen, I’m probably the last person you want to ask for anything,” I said.

“Well uhh…I was ummm wondering if you could help me with something?” The creature said. He was awkward and uncomfortable and this made me apprehensive.

“Look, buddy like I said, I’m not the man for the job…my best friend is locked inside that house with a mad woman and I’m still wearing these stupid pyjamas!”

“Ok….well, sorry to bother you…I’m sorry about your best friend. The funny thing is that my best friend is locked inside there too…with Amelia. I barely escaped with my life,” The creature said as he started off in the other direction.

“Stop!” I said. “What did you say?”

“I said that my best…”

I cut him off, “I know what you said…you were also a victim of Amelia?”